| Author | Message | ||
     Natexlh1000 |
He's just griping. Let him vent. My first 20,000 were HELL. I almost lemon-lawed the thing. NO ONE at the time understood how to make fuel-injection run right. Every time I tool that poor X1 into a random dealership, some new monkey would look at it like it was the first one he's ever seen. Then he would call the home office for a step-by step workthrough. IDIOT FOOLS Boston H-D gutted my airbox (You can't do that on an X1) rear shock crapped out at 3000 front rotor was warped at 5000 many MANY leaks Random "techs" on roadtrips gradually degraded the performance with more and more errors. Finally, Sheldon's in Mass started to carry the Buell line and the bike was turned around. Boston boned me and Sheldon's de-boned me. The most reliable time period was between 20K and 45K when nothing broke at all. I'm just saying: Don't lose hope. Endeavor to Persevere  | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
As to dealers, my selling dealer gave up the Buell franchise. St.Paul HD has improved- they had a Uly on the floor with the low seat and a fair selection of Buell apparel and accessories. The service writer told me they could probally get it into the shop in two days, but probably wouldn't have the stator in stock. Isn't the stator used in Sportsters too?... and if they're dying as fast as they seem to be a decent dealer would have them in stock. In contrast, any of the local BMW boutiques has a better parts stock. The shop I patronize, Judson Cycle 100 miles south of here, typicaly has over 90% of the airhead parts I need in stock. BTW, SPHD had something like 5 Uys on the floor and a handful of other new Buells. Stocking $1000 in Buell parts behind the counter would motivate riders to buy that $100,000 worth of Buells off the floor. As for my buying crteria being too unemotional, I come from a background in the transportation biz. We routinely expect trucks to last at least 10 years/1,000.000 miles. If they don't the manufacturer is given hell, and if they don't fix it we don't buy their junk again. If some executive dumped lemon trucks for pennies on the dollar and replaced them with whatever truck he was in love with that week, he'd push us into bankruptcy. So yes, a lot of the new bikes look cool- but you gotta do the numbers before you sing on the dotted line. | ||
| Djkaplan |
When it comes to parts, I've resigned myself to the fact that no matter what bike brand you have, the dealer's going to have to order them anyway. My local HD dealer didn't have a stator for my Buell either, which I thought was surprising... but I was more surprised 29 years ago when the Suzuki dealer didn't have rings for my RM125. "Gotta order them from California"... that was the mantra of the dealers back then. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
I don't have a Buell Retailer. I just get the part numbers from someone here on Badweb then order it at my local HD Retailer. I get the parts in a day if I want air freight. Keep the faith - its only a stator. | ||
| Bomber |
Tuber stator IS a sporty part -- whether is should be stocked or not is, of course, a matter of opinion -- the account wants NOTHING stocked, the rider wants whe she needs stocked, and the poor parts guy wants everything stocked (he's tired of getting beat up for things that ain't his fault) I've been buying car and bike parts since, er, 1964 -- short of a small block chevy, I've never had 100% walk away access to the parts I've needed -- with some effort, though, I've been able to source about 90% of what I've needed within a day -- couple of the sponsors on this board can getcha parts within 24 hours, which is, sadly, quicker than I can get to dealers (what with work and all) -- not such a bad deal. That said, I'll repeat one of my fondest desires -- I want to meet Wayne. You've heard of him -- you go to the dealer/NAPA/Autozone/parts emporium of your choice, and ask for the mageto bushing rebuild kit for your Belchfire 1800. Guy behind hte parts counter flips thorugh the paperwork, and solemly announces, "Wayne got it. Week ten days." sucker's STILL got parts for my Bug-Eyed Sprite, by BSA Rocket, my SR-500 . . . . guy must have a HUGE garage! | ||
| Djkaplan |
Wayne must live in California... | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Buellgrrrl, I've offerd to help in the past, the offer still stands. The Crisis Center is always open. I've done 3 stators in the past 1 1/2 years (only one of them was mine...). They are quite easy to do. Only one gasket if you are careful. Of course the stator is also needed.... As Bomber said, the regulator may be toast also although none of the three I did were. I would also recommend replacing the crank seal while you're in there. It's right there after removing the rotor. Less than $10 if memory serves. I just did one last week for MikeE, he bought the part so I don't know the exact price. It took less than 2 hrs start to finish.. Stator only adds about 15 minutes. Most of the time is for routing the darn wire.. Brad | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Newfie, you make a good point. When the clutch cable went and my spare turned out to be junk, I called up Dennis Kirk, 60 miles away, and they had it in stock. I rode up their sunday morning, put the cable on that afternoon, and the bike was back in service that day. DK also stocks the Accel stator, reputatedly a better quality part than HDs. The clutch cable cost a bit less than the extended warranty's deductable, so their was no point in involving the local dealer in the matter. The stator and odds and ends needed to install it cost over $100, my threshold for making an extended warranty claim. Thusly my Buell went to the dealer to languish when I could have fixed it in a day. Now if every Buell breakdown were like this is I'd get a refund for the unused warranty and take maintainence matters into my own hands. But Buells can and do grenade big time. The bill for my last extended warranty covered warranty repair was over $1000 for a broken front motor mount support and cracked oil tank. I could have fixed that myself for $300 in parts, and for a thousand I could have fixed it for good with upgraded XB and aftermarket parts. I could have fixed it in a week instead of the month the dealer took too. But pouring thousands into a Buell to fix HD's half baked designs isn't my responsibility- the extended warranty is one way to make the Motor Company pay for their mistakes. | ||
| Jackbequick |
"DK also stocks the Accel stator, reputedly a better quality part than HDs." One advantage with the Accel stators is that they come with a lifetime replacement warranty. I think the one that fits the Buells is 22 Amps and lists for around $85. Jack | ||
| Djkaplan |
All the posts about the fractured front mount failures scared me into buying an NRHS billet front mount and fasteners. Probably didn't need it, but I figured it's just one less thing... | ||
| Tramp |
Seriously- it sounds like your Buell's been nothing but trouble for you. I've read about quite a few like that (on the 'net, so it HAS to be true), and I've worked on quite a few, and ridden one or two. Jettison that thing and buy yourself a nice old /6 or /7 for around 2k. hell- sell two of your 4(If i read right?) motorcycles and get one nice old /7....or maybe a 1980s r100/rt or rs. things won't let you down, and they can be tuned to be nice sleepers. At this point, it's likely not worth the aggravation... or the bandwidth. (if you'd like some help locating some nice airheads, lemme know. ....your moa buddies usually pay too much for 'em, anyway. ....start with 're-psycle bmw' in ohio....) | ||
| Djkaplan |
She hasn't been assimilated like the rest of us. Don't kill the pods in the garden... | ||
| Mbsween |
Buellgrrl, Contact Dave S at Appleton HD for Buell Parts. he'll have them there rapidly in most cases. My local shop wait time is 6 weeks no matter what the part is. Dave usually has the parts to you in less than a week, including shipping! And he gives a discount to badwebbers | ||
| Bomber |
Tramp -- tell us more about old airheads, please -- always admired em from afar (couldn't afford em when new), but have a strange hankering for one at this point -- any models to avoid like, well, something to be avoided? 90S model (in fadeaway grey) kept me up nights, long ago | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Tramp, "R80ST", "R65LS", and "R100GS" are all airheads... thusly I already have 3. You'd think an old BMW service manager would know these things... or did you work on /2s? | ||
| Road_thing |
"old airheads" Hey Bomber: Are you talking about me?? Remember this one we looked at on ebay?  I don't think it hit the reserve. rt Had a 100/7 with an RT fairing for a few years, I think it was a '77. Damn thing was bulletproof, I put about 40,000 on it and never did anything except change tires and oil. Great bike. Wish I still had it. | ||
| Bomber |
well, now that you mention it - - - - and, yessir, I DO remember it -- that's what started the recent mental mumblings, in fact | ||
| Tramp |
buellgrrrrl said: "Tramp, "R80ST", "R65LS", and "R100GS" are all airheads... thusly I already have 3. You'd think an old BMW service manager would know these things... or did you work on /2s? " buellgrlll- what are you talking about? once again, you're implying something that didn't occur. where and when did i state that those mentioned models aren't airheads? you have some issues to work out, it would appear. weird. | ||
| Tramp |
....for that matter...will SOMEONE please show me where and when I stated that these models aren't airheads? | ||
| Hammer71 |
I've known a few AIRHEADS does that count? LOL  | ||
| Road_thing |
Tramp: You didn't. But what about Bomber's question? I'd like to know more about 'em, too. Ain't that yellow one cute? rt | ||
| Ducxl |
i have an airhead,her name is......WHOOPS!.I have an airhead my wife disabled.It's an R90/6 my dad bought new in '75.Other than my wife trashing it,it's got 50,000 miles/w ONLY tires and points and oil changes.Original in every other way. | ||
| Tramp |
I AM an airhead, much of the time, esp. lately. as to airhead beemers, I sure likes 'em, plenty. sometimes the torque roll of the shaft drive is annoying, and much of the time the footpeg offset is annoying, if not unhealthy, as well. The ole r90s is really something. probably 8 outta 10 you see for sale are repaints, though. my own favourite is my own frankentoaster of which i've built a few individual units. r100/7 engine, "S" cam, short /5 frame, 1980s front end (brembo{s} with bar-mount master), big-valve heads/big bings, toaster tank (wheeee!), boyer-brandsen ignition, (dual-plugs are swell) BSA clubman seat, /5 KICKSTART trans (rebl't/reratioed), no starter/cover, tuned header. quelle sleeper .... I used to terrorize squids on 84 and skyline up in the redwoods with one. last scoot I had before my S2 was one of these little wheelie-happy runabouts | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Tramp, you apparently read my post on another thread and suggested that I sell a couple of my 4 bikes and buy BMW airheads to replace them. If you knew BMWs you'd have noted that I already have 3 BMW airheads! Tramp, how long did you last as a BMW service manager? | ||
| Tramp |
you misread it, buellgrrlll- read it again.... i suggested that you buy a nice airhead as opposed to keeping your buell, as you've had great luck with airheads, as opposed to that which you've had with your buell. you previously mentioned that money isn't plentiful, so i suggested selling a couple of your airheads in order to purchase one really reliable100/7 or rs or rt.... (you mentioned you had trouble with your r100gs, and your other two are sub-litre machines, so the r100 /7 or rs or rt would be a logical 1000 cc alternative. clearly, your powers of reading comprehension parallel your knowledge of motorcycle maintenance. i began in bmw service mgt. in 1994 i've worked at 3 bmw dealerships in service mgt., and i've run my own bmw/hd shop....i've also had several bmw factory shops cruise me for potential employment, most recently in nj and ct. my creds are current as of this post. as of this typing, i have NO increased desire to deal with the clearly intellectually-superior brand of anal retentive riders whom choose to have their units serviced at bmw factory dealerships, educating the techs whilst their scoots are 'under the knife'. they tend to have paramount skills of reading comprehension, as well. ....esp when it comes to reviewing their ROs and reading forum posts. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
First off Tramp, I know enough of airheads to know that the R100 980 cc. models were stretching the original 750 cc. design a bit too far and reliability suffered. The 750s and 800s are sweet motors, being the smoothest while reliably supplying 50 usable horses. The 650 is an excellent choice too, not quite as much torque but slightly lighter with a stiffer suspension. So if I acquire more airheads they will be 650 or 800 cc.airheads. Second, you started working with BMWs just as the last of the airheads were built and 7 years after the R65 and R80 models were dropped in the U.S.- that might explain a few things. | ||
| M2nc |
Last bike ride with C3 we came across this Airhead.  Imagine a teenager on an old Beemer that Daddy found and got going. Daddy is a Marine mechanic that in a past life was a BMW mechanic. Found the bike in a barn and talked the guy out it.  The kid was talking about how much fun it was to ride with his buddies on their repli-racers. He said they keep trying to get him on a new bike but he said no way. I like that kid.  Original mileage too. Not bad for a 1966 R50-2 with 29,000 miles  | ||
| Tramp |
buellgrrrl said: "First off Tramp, I know enough of airheads to know that the R100 980 cc. models were stretching the original 750 cc. design a bit too far and reliability suffered." That is an inane and wildly incorrect statement "The 750s and 800s are sweet motors, being the smoothest" (}also, wildly incorrrect) "...while reliably supplying 50 usable horses. The 650 is an excellent choice too, not quite as much torque but slightly lighter with a stiffer suspension. So if I acquire more airheads they will be 650 or 800 cc.airheads. Second, you started working with BMWs just as the last of the airheads were built and 7 years after the R65 and R80 models were dropped in the U.S.- that might explain a few things." }ahh, once again, your inimitable powers of reading comprehension filter through. you asked how long I was in BMW service management...I answered very clearly that I began in SERVICE MANAGEMENT in '94... I began working on BMWs in the 1970s.... maybe you should quit while you're ahead, and you know....you've shown that you know more about BMW service than do trained service management and techs.... the shovel is yours  } (trampian afterthought): Maybe, being you've misread much of what's posted here, you've also "misread" some service literature and historuical info, as well? .....you know....just a thought  exhibit #3316403: reasons tramp avoids BMW factory service customers.... (Message edited by tramp on June 22, 2006) | ||
| Crusty |
So, Tramp; did you ever get the FOREVER CHANGES CD with the bonus tracks? I especially enjoy listening to the recording session of YOUR MIND AND WE BELONG TOGETHER ...Take 25,...Take 26... | ||
| Cochise |
You know, even IF he started in '94 after those bikes were made, do you think they would say in school or wherever he had training, "Nah, we won't talk about those bikes, they were around a LOONG time ago, you will NEVER work on those fine 200,000+ mile machines."  |
